Valve



Feb. 11, 1936. E. H. MUELLER VALVE Filed Dec. 3, 1934 Err'w/y ff MUELLER BY I ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 11, 1936 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VALVE H. Mueller, Detroit, Mich. Application December 3, 1934, Serial No. 155,755

6 Claims. (01. 251 10s) This invention has to do with a valve, and it is concerned particularly with a valve useful with gas burners.

The invention aims to provide a valve capable of being closed or opened in the usual manner that such valves are operated, and which is capable of being moved to a diiferent position so that it automatically is partially closed to a definite degree, thus allowing a. fluid to flow therethrough in a. determined manner which is less than the flow therethrough in full open position. One place where the valve may advantageously be used is on gas ranges or other gas stoves or heaters. In operating a range there are times when a low gas flame is desired for simmering or slow cooking, or merely for the purpose of keeping something hot, and heretofore it has been necessary for the attendant to stoop over and peer under the article over the flame while adjusting the valve to get the flameat about the right intensity. The present valve may merely be actuated by a turn of its handle to a predetermined position and the low or, simmering flame is automatically obtained. This predetermined position may be adjusted to various conditions,

such as pressure of the gas, but once the adjust-' I ment is made such adjustment may remain fixed,

, burner 2. The body 3 of the valve may be hollow and in manycases will not need adjustment again at least for a long period of time. The valve, while useful for gas burners, is, of course, useful with other devices and with any sort of a fluid.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a general view showing the valve associated with a gas burner pipe.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the valve structure.

Fig. 3 is a view taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially'on line 55 of Fig. 2 showing the valve in simmering position. I

Fig. 6 is a. cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 5 showing wide open positionof the valve.

Fig. 7 is a view of a control member.

As shown in Fig. 1 the valve may be used with a gas supply manifold I and with the pipe of a for the reception of the valve proper, having a threaded stem 4 for association with the manifold and'an extension 5 which may be screw threaded for the reception of an outlet jet 6, having a jet aperture 7. The stem 4 is hollow and the extension 5 is hollow both communicating with the hollow body which has ports for this 'member 6 where the same discharges through the jet aperture I, which'may be controlled by the pointed end 9 of extension 5 by adjustment of the jet member 6 on the extension.

The valve member is shown at [0, and it may be hollow as at H and provided with an aperture l2 arranged to be brought into and out of alignment and into partial alignment with the stem 4 by relative rotation of the valve member and valve body. For .this purpose the valve member may have a stem l3 equipped with a handle l4.

A cap, which may be a stamping is shown at l5, and is fitted over the body and secured thereto by screws l6, the-cap being apertured for the passage of the stem I 3 therethrough. This cap may be of recessed formation, as shown in Fig. 4, for the reception of a coil spring H for forcing the valve member ID against its seat in the body, and in doing so reacting against the bottom of the cap. The body of the valve may be recessed as at 20. The cap portion may have an extending part 2| for substantially closing this recess. The valve member is provided with a pin 22 positioned to operate in the recess 20, and it may stop against the wall 23 at one side of the recess. An adjustable screw threaded stop 24 may be passed through the body having an end 25 against which the pin 22 is adapted to stop. The stop member 24 is provided with a head for the reception of a suitable tool so that it may be turned to thus vary its position.

The valve member is shouldered as at 30 and the spring I! acts upon this shoulder. Interpositioned between the spring and shoulder is a controlling member which serves as a stop for the pin 22 when the valve is in wide open position, but which permits further turning move ment of the valve to adjust the same to the simmering position. This control member maybe in the form of a washer 3| having an offset projecting-finger 33. This finger fits in an internal groove in the can so that the washer is held from turning. The washer has another projection- 2| one side of which is at a very small angle to a radial line forming a quick lift cam surface,

and the other side of which is at a considerable angle to a radial line and forming a slow lift cam surface.

The projection 34 is positioned in the recess 20; When the valve is fully closed the pin 22 stops against the shoulder 23. In this position the opening l2 in the valve member may be in the position substantially shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 6. To open the valve the handle l4 may be turned counter-clockwise as Fig. 3 is viewed, and the pin ultimately stops against the face 35 of the projection 34. In this position the valve is preferably open as shown in Fig. 6. Due to the fact that the face 35 is quite abrupt a substantial stopping action is provided. The valve may be operated with the pin functioning between the shoulder 23 and face 35 of the extension 34. Now, if a low flame is desired for simmering or other purposes, the attendant merely grasps the handle l4 and turns the valve in the on direction. The pin acts with camming action upon the face 35 and thus the projection 34 is shifted to the left, as Fig. 2 is viewed, against the action of the spring l1, so that the pin 22 moves past the projection and comes to a stop against the end 25 of the stop member 24. The valve member has now been moved to a position substantially illustrated in Fig. 5. The adjustment of the member 24 is determined to get the proper amount of opening with due regard to the pressure of the gas or other fluid. To turn the valve oif the handle I4 is turned to move the valve member clockwise, as Fig. 3 is viewed, and the pin 22 acting upon'the cam face 36 easily cams the projection 34 out of the way so that in turning the valve off there is no substantial resistance .to valve movement.

As pointed out above the stop member 24 may be adjusted from time to time, although such adjustment may be at infrequent intervals.. In order that any given adjustment of the stop member be maintained, the invention contemplates placing a tension upon-the same. To this end a coil spring 35 may be placed around the screw member and the body of the valve recessed for this purpose, as shown in Fig. 3. 3,-Th6 spring is confined in this recess and abuts the bottom thereof, since the recess amounts to an enlargement of the aperture for the stop member and reacts against the head 24. Accordingly, a given adjustment is maintained by reason of the spring tension on the screw member.

As there is considerablejriction action of the pin 22 on the cam surfaces of the projection 34, these partsmay be made of steel, and preferably are case hardened so as to form hard wearing surfaces which will last substantially throughout the normal life of the valve.

Accordingly, a low burning flame to obtain a simmering or slow cooking condition is obtained by merely turning the valve, and requires no inspection or attention or careful manipulation by the attendant. This is particularly advantageous where the flame is difficult to observe or where under some conditions it cannot be seen. The structure is a simple one, requires no complicated parts, and in fact employs the usual valve holding spring to perform the function of controlling the movements of the controlling member 3|. In other words, the spring I! would be used anyway to keep the valve in its seat. This same spring is used to control the additional action obtained by the valve of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A valve comprising, a valve body with a a shiftable stop intermediate to fixed stops and past which the valve may be moved in either direction of rotary movement having a quick lift cam face on one side and a slow lift cam face on its opposite side, by means of which the said stop is shiftable, said shiftable stop being positioned to stop movement of the valve when the valve is in an intermediate position with the ports in substantially full alignment.

2. A valve comprising, a valve body having a valve seat with a port, a valve member rotatable on the seat and having a port, a projection 'on the valve member, a pair of relatively fixed stop means for the projection for limiting movements of the valve member, with the ports disaligned when the projectionis against one stop means and with the ports partially aligned and past full alignment position when the projection is against the other stop means, and a relatively movable spring pressed stopping member intermediate the first two mentioned stop means and having a quick lift cam face with which the projection engages for stopping the valve member when the ports are in substantially full alignment, and past which the projection may be moved by increased pressure on the valve member, said intermediate stop means having a slow lift cam face for movement of the projection past the same in reverse direction.

3. A valve comprising, a valve body having a valve seat with a port, a valve member rotatably mounted onthe seat and having a port, a projection on the valve member, stop means for the projection for limiting rotary movement of the valve member, a cap secured to the valve body, a spring reacting on the cap and holding the valve member against the seat, a controlling element acted upon by the spring and locked to the cap against rotary movement, said controlling element having a finger positioned in the path of the projection and intermediate the two stops for the projection, said finger having a quick lift cam face against which the projection meets, stopping the valve when the ports are in substantially full alignment, said finger being movable against the spring upon pressure applied to the valve member, whereby the projection may be moved past the finger and against one of the stopping means, with the ports in partial alignment, and said finger having a slow lift cam face for movement of the projection past the same in reverse movement of the valve member.

4. A valve comprising, a valve body having a valve seat with a port, a valve member rotatably mounted onthe seat and having a port, a projection on the valve member, stop means for the projection for limiting rotary movement of the valve member, a cap secured to the valve body, a spring reacting on the cap and holding the valve member against the seat, a controlling element acted upon by the spring and locked to the cap against rotary movement, said controlling element having a finger positioned in the path of the projection and intermediate thetwo stops, said finger having a quick lift cam face against which the projection meets stopping the valve when the ports are in substantially full alignfor the projection on the slow lift side of the said finger being adjustable, whereby the partial alignment of the ports may be predetermined.

A valve comprising, a valve body provided with a valve seat and having ports therein, a valve member rotatable on the valve seat and ported for cooperation with the ports in the valve body, means for rotating the valve member, a projection on the valve member, a positive .stop for limiting rotary movement of the valve in one direction, the ports in the body and valve being disaligned when the projection lies against said stop, a spring pressed stop lying in the path of movement of the projection and having a quick lift cam face against which the projection abuts when the ports'in the valve body and valve member are substantially in full alignment, whereby the valve may be turned on and ofl without interference, with the on and oil positions automatically determined by the said stops, said valve member being movable past the spring pressed stop position by a substantial increase in turning force, in which action the projection lifts the spring pressed stop by the quick lift cam face, said quick lift cam face, however, serving as a substantial stop, and a second positive stop on the side of the spring pressed stop opposite the first mentioned positive stop for limiting val've movement, the said ports. being in partial alignment when the projection lies against the second positive stop, said spring pressed stop having a slow lift cam face on its side opposite the quick lift cam face, whereby the valve may be turned toward off position without substantial increase in turning force as the projection lifts the spring pressed stop by the slow lift cam face.

6. A valve comprising, a valve body provided with a valve seat and having ports therein, a valve member rotatable on the valve seat and ported for cooperation with the ports in the valvev body, means for rotating the valve member, a projection on the valve membe a positive stop for limiting rotary movement of the valve in one direction, the ports in the body and valve being disaligned when the projection lies against said stop, a spring pressed stop lying inthe path of movement of the projection and having a quick lift cam face against which the projection abuts when the ports in the valve body and valve member are substantially in full alignment, whereby the valve may be turned on and off without interference, with the on and off positions automatically determined by the said stops, said valve member being movable past the spring pressed stop position by a substantial increase in turning force, in which action the projection lifts the spring pressed stop by the quick lift cam face, said quick lift cam face, however, serving as a substantial stop, and a second positive stop on the side of the spring pressed stop opposite the ERVINEMUELLER. 

